Dynamic Signal is about communities.  It's what we build for your brand, and it's what we are as a company.  We understand that people not only propel our business but also enrich every aspect of our lives.  That's why we do what we do.  

Company Executives

RUSS FRADIN - CEO

Russ is a digital media industry veteran with more than 15 years experience in the online marketing world.  Russ co-founded and was CEO of Adify (acquired by Cox for $300M in May 2008) and co-founded SocialShield.  He was also SVP of BD at Wine.com, EVP of Corporate Development at comScore (NASDAQ:SCOR) and was among the first employees at Flycast (acquired by CMGi for $2.3B in January 2000).  Russ is also an active angel investor in the digital world and is on a number of Boards.  Russ holds a BS in Economics from The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania.

JIM LARRISON - GM CORPORATE DEVELOPMENT

Prior to DS, Jim was an early senior leader at other internet start-ups, including comScore Media Metrix and Adify, where he ran business development. Additionally, Jim worked at Information Resources, Lever Brothers, and Vision Quest Research in Chicago, where he built deep experience in consumer behaviors and marketing. Jim attended Bradley University and DePaul University in Chicago.

STEVE HEYMAN - CTO

Steve’s experience includes leading the engineering team as CTO at digital ad platform Adify, building the Yahoo! Music Engine product, creating the survey system and client-side software platform at comScore, and developing the ad serving technology of Flycast. Steve holds a BS in Electrical Engineering from The University of Pennsylvania, and a BS from U Penn’s Wharton School.

AJAY RAMACHANDRAN - CHIEF MARKETING AND PRODUCT OFFICER 

Ajay Ramachandran is the Chief Marketing & Product Officer at Dynamic Signal. Ajay also serves as the Chairman of SourceN, a successful silicon valley based mobile and social web agency he co-founded that provides innovative strategy, creative and technology solutions for brands such as Apple, Disney, MTV, SAP, Dell, etc. Prior to SourceN, Ajay served as CTO and GM for TigerLogic Corp (TIGR), and was a senior executive at Electron Economy and USWeb. Ajay works closely with brands to help them align their strategy and marketing objectives with the rapidly growing opportunity of mobile & social media and to help them establish brand communities that reach large and targeted audiences. Ajay is an expert on mobile and social media ROI, earned media impressions and value, and can help a brand calibrate their investment in mobile & social media. Ajay resides in the Silicon Valley, is a movie buff, loves juice cleanses and is married with two daughters.

ED DELFS - CHIEF REVENUE OFFICER 

Ed has been a senior global sales, strategy and operations leader for 18 years focused on digital media, mobile, online video, social CRM, digital distribution and integrated media. As CRO Ed is responsible for driving Dynamic Signal’s global sales and revenue growth strategies and for building relationships with Fortune 500 brands. Prior to Dynamic Signal Ed pioneered integrated media in the music and entertainment industry as VP of Global Sales and Operations at Real Networks and held senior executive positions at TheStreet.com and iVillage.Ed holds an Master’s Degree in international business and Japanese from U.C. San Diego (MPIA) and an honors BS in Anthropology from USC. Ed plays the guitar, is a basketball junkie, enjoys world travel and lives in San Francisco with his wife and two daughters.

Board Of Directors

RUSS FRADIN - CEO

Russ is a digital media industry veteran with more than 15 years experience in the online marketing world.  Russ co-founded and was CEO of Adify (acquired by Cox for $300M in May 2008) and co-founded SocialShield.  He was also SVP of BD at Wine.com, EVP of Corporate Development at comScore (NASDAQ:SCOR) and was among the first employees at Flycast (acquired by CMGi for $2.3B in January 2000).  Russ is also an active angel investor in the digital world and is on a number of Boards.  Russ holds a BS in Economics from The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania.

AJAY CHOPRA - GENERAL PARTNER, TRINITY VENTURES

Since joining Trinity Ventures in 2006, Ajay has developed a reputation as an entrepreneur’s coach. His passion is helping entrepreneurs execute their Big Idea. He has over 20 years of operating experience at the senior management and board level with start‐ups, private companies and public companies. Prior to joining Trinity Ventures, Ajay co-founded Pinnacle Systems, a seminal media technology company that pioneered consumer generated media creation. During his tenure at Pinnacle, the company grew from start‐up stage to a global $350M public company, won several Emmy awards and completed over a dozen M&A transactions before being acquired by Avid Technology. Previously, Ajay was with Mindset Corporation, a computer graphics start‐up.

JAMIE KENNEDY - VP BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT, COX ENTERPRISES

Jamie Kennedy oversees Cox Enterprises’ business development functions, including identifying and evaluating new business opportunities, acquisitions and long-term investment strategies across Cox’s subsidiaries. Since 2004, he has worked across a number of Cox companies such as The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and AutoTrader.com, where he worked in market research. He also participated in a two-year rotational leadership program at Cox Communications, the company’s largest subsidiary and the nation’s third largest cable company. Kennedy earned his masters of business administration from the Stanford Graduate School of Business and holds an undergraduate degree from the University of Colorado. During his time at Stanford he served on Facebook’s online sales and operations team.

GIAN FULGONI - EXECUTIVE CHAIRMAIN & CO-FOUNDER, COMSCORE

Gian Fulgoni is Executive Chairman and Co-founder of comScore Inc. (NASDAQ:SCOR), the global leader in measuring the digital world. Prior to comScore, he was President & CEO of Information Resources, Inc. (IRI), the leading global supplier of retail scanner data to the CPG industry. Gian has received awards such as the Illinois Entrepreneur of the Year (received twice), the Wall Street Transcript Award, and the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year. In 2008, he was inducted into the Chicago Entrepreneurship Hall of Fame. Gian has long been involved in the growth of hugely successful companies. He has served as a board member of Platinum Technology (acquired by Computer Associates), a global leader in the software services industry, and US Robotics (acquired by 3 Com), a global telecommunications device manufacturer.

KAREN FRANCIS - CHAIRMAN AND CEO, ACADEMIXDIRECT

 Karen serves as Chairman and CEO of AcademixDirect, the leading technology innovator in education marketing based in Mountain View, CA. Prior to joining AcademixDirect, she served as Chairman and CEO of Publicis & Hal Riney, a leading full-service advertising agency based in San Francisco and owned by Publicis in Paris, France. Before that, Karen held senior executive positions at Procter & Gamble, General Motors, Internet Capital Group and Bain & Company, and served as Vice President of Ford Motor Company, responsible for global e-business strategies, customer relationship management and export operations.  She holds an MBA from Harvard University and a B.A. in economics from Dartmouth College, where she is a former member of the Board of Trustees.

BRIAN ASCHER

Brian Ascher joined Venrock in 1998 as a Kauffman Fellow and is currently a Partner based in Venrock's Palo Alto office. Brian focuses broadly on consumer and B2B internet investments, and currently serves on the Board of Directors of several companies, including Vocera (NYSE:VCRA), Inrix, Awarepoint, Retail Solutions, Billfloat, Atrenta,and Personal Capital. Past investments include ADiFY (acquired by Cox Enterprises), DATAllegro (acquired by Microsoft), Redbeacon (acquired by Home Depot), RelayHealth (acquired by McKesson) and Unicru (acquired by Kronos). Prior to Venrock, Brian was a Senior Product Manager at Intuit responsible for Quicken and Quicken.com, and earlier in his career was a Strategy Consultant at the Monitor Group. Brian has been named to the Forbes Midas List multiple times, for the VCs who have backed the most profitable winners in the last four years. Brian received his B.A. from Princeton University and his M.B.A. from Stanford University Graduate School of Business.

History

In 2010, two years after Adify was acquired by Cox Enterprise, a group of 10 former employees founded Dynamic Signal.  With financing from Trinity Ventures, Cox Enterprises, and prominent angel investors, Dynamic Signal’s goal is to get brands in touch with their existing and potential digital communities in order to amplify their stories on the social web. While working at Adify helping clients like General Mills, Disney, and Martha Stewart build branded digital communities, the founders saw what becomes possible when brands form direct relationships with their most passionate and outspoken audiences.  Building on this information, Dynamic Signal now enables brands to reach and engage with customers in meaningful ways.